DVD Review: Megacities Hosted by Andrew Marr

Megacities documentary is a program from BBC that explores the future of urbanization and human habitation. Growing up in the suburbs and then moving to the country, large cities have always fascinated me. I’ve only been to a few cities that I would consider to be large. I cannot even imagine living in a megacity like London or Tokyo. When I watch television programming that’s set in a large city, I’m always amazed at the noise and activity and all the people crammed into one area.

If megacities have always fascinated you, there is a BBC documentary debuting on DVD in North America on August 21, 2012. Megacities is filmed on location in five of the world’s largest cities including London, Dhaka (Bangladesh), Tokyo, Mexico City and Shanghai. BAFTA-winning journalist, Andrew Marr, takes you on a journey to sleek high rises and swarming slums. You will learn how these megacities impact the inhabitants’ daily lives in every way. There are more than 20 metropolises with over 10 million people. There are vast differences between the wealthy high tech high rises in Tokyo and the slums and poverty that you find in places like Mexico City or Bangladesh.

The five chosen metropolises where selected to show you differences in the types of megacities. London is the oldest megacity. The fastest growing megacity is Bangladesh. Tokyo is the largest megacity. Among the most hazardous megacity is Mexico City. Shanghai sees itself as the new world capital. Marr looks at how their surroundings impact their daily lives and what the future is of the megacity and our planet overall. Also included is a 12-page viewers guide with a timeline along with articles that discuss the growth of a megacity, the first cities, and more. Special features includ a biography of Andrew Marr and discussion questions at athenalearning.com. The DVD is 172 minutes long and contains three episodes.

This documentary is an amazing look into some of the largest cities out there. It gave me an insight to how living in a megacity impacts every aspect of people’s lives. Although the documentary is fascinating, there is some violent content and graphic images. The poverty that exists in some of the megacities is truly heart breaking. Megacities documentary is available for purchase from select retailers including Amazon.

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About Ellen Christian

Ellen is a busy mom of two teenagers who left the corporate world in 2008 to focus on a more eco-friendly life. She lives in rural Vermont where she juggles family, two blogs and a career in social media. You can find her at http://www.confessionsofanover-workedmom.com/ and http://the-socialites-closet.blogspot.com/.